Cleveland Orchestra
American and European Tour Videos

As the Cleveland Orchestra and Franz Welser-Most prepare for a world tour that will take them to The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Carnegie Hall in New York City, and to seven cities in Europe, including four nights of their third residency at Vienna's Musikverein, Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready is following their every move. From video interviews with principal oboe Frank Rosenwein and Stage Manager Joe Short before the trip, to interviews on the streets of New York City at Carnegie Hall, to coverage upon their return, Cool Cleveland is covering the Orchestra's every move.

Gary Hanson
Executive Director, Cleveland Orchestra

Gary Hanson, like the Cleveland Orchestra that he runs, is at the top of his game. As Executive Director, Hanson is in charge of just about everything, and when the Orchestra is in the midst of a world tour, everything becomes quite a lot. Fortunately, he found a few moments to meet with Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready during a reception at the New York City offices of Baker, Hostetler in Rockefeller Center, just before another brilliant concert that evening by the Cleveland Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Their discussion focuses on how business relationships, like the one with Baker, Hostetler can develop business and civic support, and leverage the brilliant reputation that the Orchestra has on the East Coast. Plus, having produced over 50 concerts in Washington D.C., and over 200 in New York, there are many fans of the Cleveland in some of our country's most important urban centers. While Gary admits to the rigors of the upcoming week of one-nighters in Europe before their Vienna residency, he also sees corporate sponsorship, such as that offered by Thompson, Hine in Brussels, a wonderful opportunity to court international business vis a vis the halo effect of the world-class Cleveland Orchestra. Plus, Gary opens up and reveals his own personal favorite piece the Orchestra is performing on the tour. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Hewitt Shaw
Managing Partner, Baker & Hostetler

Hewitt Shaw runs the Cleveland office of Baker, Hostetler, but when Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready caught up with him, he was in New York City, on Fifth Avenue at 51st Street during rush hour, in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral, across from the New York offices of Baker, Hostetler at Rockefeller Center, where a reception was about to begin. They discuss the many decades that the law firm has supported the Cleveland Orchestra, going back to founder Newton Baker, who was an original member of the Musical Arts Association, which operates the Orchestra, Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center. But this was the first time the firm went on the road with the Orchestra as they swung through the East Coast leg of their recent tour, which continues on to Europe. Both in Washington, D.C and in New York, Hewitt and his associates hosted receptions and reached out to clients and employees while basking in the glow of the Orchestra's triumphs in both cities. Interestingly, they also use their innovative Orchestra affiliation to recruit young people, who are looking for sports, restaurants and cultural amenities as they make choices in their careers. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Joshua Smith
Principal Flute, Cleveland Orchestra

Joshua Smith is no stranger to Carnegie Hall. He's toured there, and around the world, almost every year since he became Principal Flute of the Cleveland Orchestra in 1990. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready caught Joshua on the streets of New York City outside Carnegie Hall just after a rehearsal of Debussy's Iberia, Pintscher's Five Orchestral Pieces, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. After New York, the Orchestra heads to Birmingham, England and Cardiff, Wales before concerts in Brussels, Luxembourg, Cologne, Friedrichshafen, Germany and the Musikverein in Vienna, where they will also play Mozart's 28th, Ligeti's Lontano, Mahler's 2nd, and record Burckner's Symphony No. 9 as their second DVD release. They talk about Joshua's daily routine on the road, four standing O's they received their first night in New York, the acoustics of Carnegie Hall vs. their home court, Severance Hall, and why the tempos for Beethoven are significantly slower in New York. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Michael Sachs
Principal Trumpet, Cleveland Orchestra

Michael Sachs has seen it all. When Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready spoke with him on the street outside Carnegie Hall in NYC, he shrugged off the glamour and, after 20 years as the Cleveland Orchestra's principal trumpet, insisted he was just on a "business trip." And the Orchestra is certainly taking care of business. With stellar reviews from the opening night of their recent East Coast and European tour ("The band is still one of the world's greatest..." Washington Post 10/17/07), and three triumphant nights at Carnegie Hall, the consistency of the Cleveland Orchestra begs the question: Can perfection be considered business as usual? Watch the video as one of the Orchestra's veterans talks about life on the road, returning to the city where he studied at Julliard, and adjusting to, and appreciating, some of the world's greatest halls. Stay tuned for more imbedded coverage from the Orchestra's world tour. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Frank Rosenwein
Principal Oboe, Cleveland Orchestra

Frank Rosenwein plays the oboe, one of the most difficult instruments to learn and play. After undergrad work at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with the great John Mack, and a Masters at Julliard, he's back in Cleveland, leading the oboe section and heading up the oboe department at CIM. Frank speaks on camera with Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready about their upcoming East Coast and Europe tour, featuring his oboe on works like Beethoven's 7th, Burckner's 9th, Mahler's 2nd, and Debussy's ''Iberia." They talk about the "arts & craft" aspects of the oboe, why it's easier to do circular breathing, and the secret to why orchestras always tune to the oboe. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

Joe Short
Cleveland Orchestra

Joe Short has a daunting task ahead of himself. He's in charge of all the priceless musical instruments that travel in two 53' semi trailers with the Cleveland Orchestra on their current tour of Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, then Carnegie Hall in NYC, then overseas for concerts in England, Wales, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, culminating with their ongoing residency at the Musikverein in Vienna. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready grabbed Joe before last week's concert in the loading dock at Severance Hall, while Cleveland Orchestra musicians were packing their gear, and they discussed the challenges of preparing equipment for three weeks on the road playing challenging modern repertoire and some of the interesting things musicians stash in their flight cases. http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.com

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